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Trip from Shell Rock, IA to Waterloo, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

33m

Distance

25.1 mi

40 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Fair

3 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 30m ★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Shell Rock, IA, IA

Shell Rock, IA

El Puerto de Santa María

city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States

Waterloo, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Shell Rock, IA to Waterloo, IA is 25.1 miles and takes about 33 minutes via Avenue of the Saints, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Iowa, making it a straightforward drive between two Midwest communities. You'll primarily be on local roads and expressways, so don't expect a high-speed interstate journey. It's a quick hop that's easy to fit into any schedule, perfect for a day trip or a brief connection between destinations.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Avenue of the Saints 15.3 mi 17m
Leo P Rooff Expressway 5.8 mi 6m
230th Street 1.7 mi 2m
South Cherry Street 0.6 mi 2m
US 218 0.3 mi <1m
State Highway 3 0.3 mi <1m
Washington Street 0.2 mi <1m
North Public Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Avenue of the Saints — 15.3 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Shell Rock, IA and Waterloo, IA.

1

Start on South Cherry Street

0.6 mi · 2 min · South Cherry Street
2

Turn left onto North Public Road

346 ft · 20 sec · North Public Road
3

Turn right onto IA 3

0.3 mi · 24 sec · State Highway 3
4

Continue on IA 3

1.7 mi · 2 min · 230th Street
5

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 56 sec
6

Merge onto US 218; IA 27

15 mi · 17 min · Avenue of the Saints
7

Take the exit

317 ft · 7 sec
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
8

Continue on US 218

0.3 mi · 39 sec · US 218
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
9

Merge onto US 218

5.8 mi · 6 min · Leo P Rooff Expressway
10

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 51 sec
Toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
11

Turn straight onto Washington Street

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Washington Street
12

Turn right onto West 4th Street

76 ft · 2 sec · West 4th Street
13

Arrive at destination

West 4th Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 8

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 25.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0.6 mi into trip | ~2m in | North Public Road

Turn left onto North Public Road

Navigation decision point

5
0.6 mi into trip | ~2m in | IA 3 / State Highway 3

Turn right onto IA 3 / State Highway 3

Navigation decision point

4
18.4 mi into trip | ~23m in

Take the exit toward US 218 south: Waterloo

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
5
24.5 mi into trip | ~31m in

Take the exit toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers Convention Center

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers C...
5
25.1 mi into trip | ~32m in | West 4th Street

Turn right onto West 4th Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.92 one way

$7.85 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $4.31 $8.62
premium $4.89 $4.83 $9.66
diesel $5.61 $5.54 $11.08

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.5 0 $2.64 $1.20
Efficient EV 6.3 0 $2.20 $1.00
EV Truck/SUV 10 0 $3.51 $1.61

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (67% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Shell Rock, IA

Late night in Shell Rock on Sunday

Local time

2:34 AM

CDT

Current temp

32°F

Mostly Clear

NW 18 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:33AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

Waterloo, IA

Late night in Waterloo on Sunday

Local time

2:34 AM

CDT

Current temp

33°F

Partly Cloudy

NW 17 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:33AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

1 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

33m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive', with only 25% of the journey on highways. You'll navigate through a mix of local streets and expressways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 15.3 miles along Avenue of the Saints. Expect frequent turns and changes in road type as you transition from smaller local roads to the Leo P Rooff Expressway and then onto 230th Street before reaching your destination.

Only 25% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.3 mi on Avenue of the Saints.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near North Public Road.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 25.1 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (North Public Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (IA 3 / State Highway 3): Navigation decision point; at 18.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 33m. Total distance: 25.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

33m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (25%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 15.3 miles on Avenue of the Saints. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (North Public Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (IA 3 / State Highway 3): Navigation decision point; at 18.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Waterloo, IA before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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